Transcript of "Ah25193203"

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S. N. C. Ray, N. Ranjan, K. Kumari, R. C. Sinha / International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) ISSN: 2248-9622 www.ijera.com Vol. 2, Issue 5, September- October 2012, pp.193-203 Potential Use Of A Mix Of Fly Ash And Diluted DistilleryEffluent In Agriculture: A Case Study On The Vegetative Growth And Photosynthetic Pigments Of The Ornamental Plant, Calendula Officinalis S. N. C. Ray*, N. Ranjan**, K. Kumari*** & R. C. Sinha**** * (Centre for Environment & Nature Conservation, Deptt. of Zoology, Patna University, Patna-800005, **(Centre for Environment & Nature Conservation, Deptt. of Zoology, Patna University, Patna- 800005 ***(CSIR- NEERI, Nehru Marg, Nagpur 440020, Maharashtra, India ****(Centre for Environment & Nature Conservation, Dept. of Zoology, Patna University, Patna- 800005Abstract The disposal of post methanated diluted mg/l), chemical oxygen demand (COD: 100,000-effluent (PMDE) from the distillery and fly ash 112,000 mg/l) (Table-1). In the distillery industries,from the thermal power plants has assumed a every litre of alcohol produced about 15 litres ofcosmic dimension in India because they are spent wash is released as waste water. It hasproduced in huge quantities. Thus, their gainful undesirable color and foul smell [1]. Discharge ofutilization is imperative. In the present paper raw spent wash into open land or in a nearby watertheir gainful utilization for sustainable bodies results in a number of environmental, waterdevelopment has been discussed herein. The and soil pollution including threat to crops andresults have revealed that the electrical animal lives. Hence, the Indian distilleries have beenconductivity and water retention capacity have directed by Ministry of Environment & Forests,increased in the fly ash amended soil without any Govt. of India to achieve zero discharge into surfacemarked change in the pH. Vegetative growth such water from Dec, 2005 and the distillery units have toas root length, number of branches, leaves and opt for any one of the three: (1) Ferti-irrigation, (2)leaf area, shoot length and number of flowers have Bio- composting and (3) Incineration. Most of theincreased in fly ash amended soil. Similarly, the distillery units in India have opted for ferti-irrigation.total chlorophyll, carotenoids and ascorbic acid In ferti-irrigation, the yield of mustard seeds,are more in fly ash amended soil which clearly Brassica compestris have increased by 30% whenindicate that a mix of fly ash and diluted distillery compared with the control using di-ammoniumeffluent plays a significant role in the vegetative phosphate (DAP) and urea [1] and the yield of wheatgrowth and in the synthesis of photosynthetic (Tritiuim aestivium) increased by 33% [2] suggestingpigments. The results have also revealed the ratio that diluted distillery effluent is capable of replacingof chlorophyll: carotenoid decreases as the application of chemical fertilizer when used undertemperature increases in April in contrast to controlled conditions without having any adverseascorbic acid. Another interesting observation has effect on the soil and ground water quality. India hasbeen in the present study that maturity witnessed a tremendous increase in food grain(flowering) of the plant is earlier in the fly ash production after the post-green revolution. Now,amended soil. It is suggested that a mix of fly ash large scale efforts are on for agro-basedand diluted distillery effluent can be used as a industrialization to utilize the agro-based wastes andpotential bio- fertilizer replacing chemical to add value to agriculture. The major agro-basedfertilizer eventually bringing another ‘green industries are the distilleries, sugar mills, pulp andrevolution’ in India. paper mills, textiles which produce such a large quantity of waste waters that the nature system isKeywords- Ascorbate, Bio-fertilizer, Calendula, tillable to assimilate it. The production of alcoholCarotenoids, Chlorophyll, Fly ash, PMDE. bears immense significance as a raw material for rapidly advancing chemical industry, its export1. Introduction potential and as a readily available source of energy. Molasses (one of the important by-products Therefore, in the present scenario as well as forof sugar industry) is the chief source of production of future, demand for alcohol will increase in thealcohol in distilleries by fermentation method. country and so also the number of distilleriesApproximately, 40 billion litres of waste water producing alcohol. As such, waste water from theannually discharged in distilleries known as raw distilleries shall also increase and therefore, the usespent wash (RSW) which is characterized by high of diluted distillery effluent should be used for ferti-biological oxygen demand (BOD: 40,760- 45,000 irrigation as an alternative of chemical fertilizer 193 | P a g e

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S. N. C. Ray, N. Ranjan, K. Kumari, R. C. Sinha / International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) ISSN: 2248-9622 www.ijera.com Vol. 2, Issue 5, September- October 2012, pp.193-203because of its high content of N, P, K as ash and diluted distillery effluent (Ray et al,macronutrients and organic matter [1]. unpublished data). The other waste which is produced in huge Chlorophyll is a complex molecule. Severalquantity is fly ash produced by thermal power plants. modifications of chlorophylls occur among plantsOver the past few decades there has been a keen and other photosynthetic organisms. Chlorophyll ‗a‘interest in developing the strategies for the utilization absorbs its energy from the violet-blue and reddishof fly ash. The potential of fly ash as a resource orange-red wavelengths and little from thematerial in agriculture is due to its specific physical intermediate (Green-yellow orange) wavelengths.properties like its texture, water holding capacity, Carotenoids and chlorophyll ‗b‘ absorbs some energybulk density, pH and contains all the essential in the green-wavelength. Both chlorophylls alsomicronutrients essential for the growth of the plant absorb in the orange-red end of the spectrum.such as boron, copper, iron, manganese and lime [3], Chlorophyll ‗a‘ is reported to be thermally less stable[4] (Table 2). These micronutrients are essential for than chlorophyll ‗b‘ [12], [13], [14], [15], [16].the proper growth of a plant because they work Thermal degradation of chlorophylls ‗a‘ & ‗b‘ in―behind the scene‖ as activators of plant functions green pea was studied by [17] and reported that[5]. chlorophyll ‗a‘ degraded 12 to 18 times faster than Recently, there have been few reports that in chlorophyll ‗b‘ depending on temperature indicatingsome states, the soil and ground water have been that chlorophyll ‗a‘ is more susceptible to thermaladversely affected due to ferti-irrigation in contrast to temperatures. Carotenoids protect chlorophylls fromthe observations made by [1], [2], [5] in case of photo-oxidative destruction [18] and therefore, aUnited Spirit Ltd., Hathidah, Bihar. As such, it can reduction in carotenoids could have seriousbe said that the technology of ferti-irrigation cannot consequence on chlorophylls [19]. Carotenoids arebe undermined but due to the ignorance of the effective quenchers of reactive oxygen species (ROS)distillery units and the complacence of the regulatory and play an important role and ultimate survival ofauthorities permitting ferti-irrigated water more than plants during stress. Decreased levels of catalase and100 mg/l BOD in the fields might have resulted in the carotenoids as well as increased levels of peroxideadverse effects on soil and ground water. It is the induced by oxidative stress reflect a general strategyduty of the Regulatory Authority to abide by the required for stress and protect cells against damage.Protocol of Ferti-irrigation issued by MoEF, Govt. of Ascorbate (Vitamin C) can reach very highIndia. Diluted spent wash could be used for irrigation concentrations in chloroplasts (20-300 mM). Thepurpose without adversely affecting soil fertility [6], pool size in leaves and chloroplasts increases during[7], [5], crop productivity [8], [1], [2]. The diluted high light intensity. Multiple functions of ascorbatespent wash irrigation improved the physical and in photosynthesis have been proposed [20], [21],chemical properties of the soil and further increased [22], [23]. The total ascorbate in leaves is lightthe soil micro-flora [9], [10], [6]. Increased dependent. Growth at high light intensity producesconcentration of spent wash causes decreased leaves with higher ascorbate content than low lightseedling growth and chlorophyll content in sun intensity [24], [25], [26].flowers (Helianthus annuus) and spent wash could The aim of this study is to evaluate thesafely be used for irrigation purpose at lower effectiveness of a mix of fly ash and diluted distilleryconcentration [11], [8]. Mineralization of organic effluent on the vegetative growth and biochemicalmaterial as well as nutrients present in spent wash is constituents of the ornamental plant, Calendularesponsible for increased availability of plant officinalis.nutrients. In view of the adverse reports received 2. Materials and Methodsregarding ferti-irrigation, an alternative method was Calendula officinalis plants are veryconsidered by our Centre to study, the effect of important ornamental plants cultivated outside asdiluted distillery effluent and fly ash which are very winter annual plants. It belongs to the familyrich in micronutrients and would serve as a very good Asteraceae and is used for land scaping as a source ofpotential bio- fertilizer. To prove this hypothesis, a color in the gardens and as cut flowers. Ideal soilmix of fly ash and diluted distillery effluent was profiles for the growth of Calendula officinalis arestudied on amended soil characteristics as well as light to sandy and moderately rich soils. The soilvegetative growth and some biochemical constituents must be fairly moist and tolerates a pH range ofsuch as chlorophyll ‗a‘ & ‗b‘, total chlorophyll, acidic 4.5 to a very alkaline 8.3. It is considered ascarotenoids and ascorbic acid of the leaf of one of the most valuable medicinal plants and used inCalendula officinalis in pot conditions with a view to treating cancer as well as cardio-vascular diseases. Itextrapolate the effect of a mix of fly ash and distillery has anti oxidant activity [27]. Earthen pot having theeffluent in the field conditions on wheat and mustard diameter of 25 cm was carried out from December tobased on the laboratory results. In the field April end.conditions, the yield of potato (Solanum tuberosum) Pot experiments with Calendula officinalisincreased significantly when treated with a mix of fly were carried out in 3 sets which are as follows. 194 | P a g e

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S. N. C. Ray, N. Ranjan, K. Kumari, R. C. Sinha / International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) ISSN: 2248-9622 www.ijera.com Vol. 2, Issue 5, September- October 2012, pp.193-203 Tot 0.50±0.038 0.60±0.039 0.42±0.115 20.6% -14.5% Total February 0.30±0.029 0.35±0.045 0.43±0.027 15.8% 43.62% Carotenoid Content (mg/g of leaf April 0.22±0.026 0.14±0.032 0.13±0.029 -35.8% -38.5% tissue) Chlorophyll a: February 2.85 2.79 2.64 -2.1% -7.4% b Ratio April 1.78 1.85 2.80 3.9% 57.3% Chlorophyll: February 4.64 4.21 3.98 -9.2% -14.6% Carotenoid Ratio April 2.27 4.26 3.16 87.8% 39.0%4. Discussion Similarly, the number of flowers is 600% more in4.1 Impact on soil properties E2 and 50% more in E1 than the control (Fig. 5) Pots irrigated with diluted distillery (Table 4). A balanced fertilization with dilutedeffluent (E1) were found to have slightly lower pH distillery effluent which contains macronutrientsas compared to those irrigated with fresh water (C) for plant nutrition is very important for the properwhereas, the pH was slightly higher in E 2 than E1 growth of the plants. Micronutrients in smalland C (Table 3). The higher pH in E2 could be due quantities, however, their deficiencies cause a greatto the presence of Ca, Na, Mg and OH- and calcium disturbance in the physiological and metabolicoxide, a major constituent of fly- ash and forms processes in plants [32]. Plants rooting are verycalcium hydroxide with water and thus contributes much affected by the placement of N and Pto higher pH in E2. With regard to the electrical fertilizers and they have synergistic effects on rootsconductivity (EC), there was 6% more in E1 and [33]. P uptake has shown that the root growth is of31% more in E2 than the control (Table 3). Similar prime importance [34]. Adequate soil moisture, N,results have been reported by [30] and [31]. The P and K promotes 1) root growth, 2) large abundantnitrate content was 474% more in E1 and 276% leaf area, 3) increases number of branches permore in E2 than the control (Table 3). It is known plant. In the present study, the root length is 71.3%that plants take up nitrogen in the form of nitrate more in E2 than the control and 53.2% more in E1(NO3-) because nitrates are more quickly available (Table 4) (Fig. 2). This is due to the more P in E2to plants as they move through the roots and as than E1. It has been observed in the present studysuch lesser content of nitrate in E2 may be due to that the number of flowers and leaves are more inmore hydraulic absorption because of higher water E1 & E2 than the control which could be due to N &holding capacity in the fly ash amended soil. The K (Table 4) (Fig. 5). Leaf area in E2 is 45% morephosphate content is 8.6% higher in E1 and 85.7% and in E1 is 36.1% more than the control whichin E2 than the control (Table 3). It is known that P could be due to N and K (Table 4) (Fig. 4). Similaris essential for the nitrate absorption by the roots reports have been made by [35]. Similarly theresulting in lesser content of nitrate in E2. The length of the shoot is maximum in the fly- ash andmoisture content in E1 is 3% and in E2 is 368% diluted distillery effluent (E2) (Table 4) (Figs. 5more than the control (Table 3). Fly ash decreases &1).. Similar observations have been made by [36]porosity and thus increases water holding capacity. in fly- ash amended soil. The plants in pot cultureThis would facilitate the absorption of nutrients as experiment (E2) produced more and large flowerswell as photosynthetic activity. Similar findings Table 4 and (Fig. 5). This could be due to thehave been reported by [5]. micronutrients available in fly ash than the control. Similar reports have been made by [37] & [38].4.2 Vegetative growth Table 4 shows the vegetative growth of 4.3 Photosynthetic pigmentsCalendula officinalis in different amended soil In the present study Table 5 showsunder study. A mix of fly- ash and diluted distillery chlorophyll a is 21.7% more in E2 and 14.2% moreeffluent (E2) has a potential for improving plant in E1 than the control (Table 5). The highergrowth. Shoot length has increased by 92.3% in E2 chlorophyll in E2 is due to the presence of high N,and 65.0% in E1 as compared to the control (Table K and Mg which are present in the diluted distillery4) (Fig. 2). Table also shows that root length in E2 effluent and P from fly ash resulting in higheris 71.3% and 53.2% more in E1 than the control. content of chlorophyll a in E2. Chlorophyll b isSimilarly the number of branches in E2 is 733.3% 31.4% more in E2 and 16.7% in E1 than the controland 166.7% more than the control (Table 4) (Fig. (Table 5). The higher content of chlorophyll b in E22). The no. of leaves is 247.3% and 154.5% more is due to higher P content in fly ash amended soil.in E2 and E1 respectively (Table 4) (Fig. 2 & 5). Similar reasons may be assigned for higher total 197 | P a g e

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S. N. C. Ray, N. Ranjan, K. Kumari, R. C. Sinha / International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) ISSN: 2248-9622 www.ijera.com Vol. 2, Issue 5, September- October 2012, pp.193-203chlorophyll content in E2. The carotenoids are the fly ash and diluted distillery effluent as a bioaccessory pigments ubiquitous in photosynthesis. fertilizer.These pigments participate in light harvesting and In the present study, the ascorbatefulfill photo- protective function as well as stabilize concentration in E2 is 94.6% more and 15.2% morethe pigment protein complexes of the in E1 than the control (C) in early February whenphotosynthetic apparatus. The carotenoids are the temperature is relatively less but in the end ofhelpful in stressful conditions especially during February the ascorbate concentration increases byhigh photo- flux and high temperature. 116.1% in E2 and 57.1% in E1 than the control (Table 5). But in the mid- April when the4.4 Ratio of Chlorophyll a: b temperature is high, the increase in E2 is 8.8% and Ratio of chlorophyll a:b in the present in E1 it is 42.3% which is more than the control.study decreased in the month of April when the The parallel increased levels of total chlorophyll intemperature was higher than February (Table 5). E1 and E2 than control in February with respect toChlorophyll ‗a‘ has been reported to be thermally April is suggestive of the fact that, ascorbic acid isless stable than chlorophyll ‗b‘ [12], [13], [14], related to photosynthesis for photo- protection[15], [16]. Since chlorophyll ‗a‘ degrades faster against reactive oxygen species.than chlorophyll ‗b‘ as a function of temperature, However, in E2 the ascorbic acid hastherefore, the ratio of chlorophyll ‗a‘ to ‗b‘ decreased from 3.34 mg/ gm of tissue to 2.61mg/decreases with increasing temperature in April in gm of tissue in April with respect to the end ofcontrast to the findings of [39]. February. This could be due to the fact that because of early maturity (flowering) (Fig. 5), the onset of4.5 Ratio of chlorophyll: carotenoid senescence was earlier in E2 than others. As such, it Similar to the trends in chlorophyll a: b, is concluded that ascorbic acid plays an importantthe ratio of chlorophyll:carotenoid has also role in scavenging the singlet oxygen speciesdecreased in the month of April (Table 5), with the produced especially when strong light is absorbedexception in E1 where the ratio has insignificantly by the leaves of Calendula officinalis. During lateincreased.(Table 5). This could be due to the higher March there is a transformation from vegetativetotal chlorophyll content in E1 than C and E2 (Table growth to flowering stage as well as the high5). It is well known that chlorophyll as compared to temperature and as such, the plant undergoes acarotenoids is thermally less stable and as such it stressful condition resulting in the increase in thewould be logical to expect lower ratio in the month ascorbate content so as to enable the plant meet theof April than in the month of February. stressful conditions as anti- oxidant thus playing the role of photo- protection. Similar reports have4.6 The role of Ascorbic acid on photosynthetic been made by [40], [41], [5]. pigments In the present study, two interesting Oxygen is potentially toxic and even more findings have been observed. Firstly, the floweringso when combined with light pigments and electron is about 20 days earlier in E2 as compared to E1 andtransport activity, such conditions are provided in control. This is due to the presence of Boron andthe chloroplasts. Photosynthesis releases oxygen, Zn [42] present in the fly ash (Table 2) and absentabsorbs light and carries out electron transport in in the distillery effluent (Table1). Secondly, thethe chloroplast, therefore, needs protection from ratio of chlorophyll ‗a‘ and ‗b‘ as well as the ratioreactive oxygen species. Antioxidants and free of chlorophyll: carotenoids decrease as theradical scavengers are needed to deal with these temperature increases in the month of April. Thistoxic products of photosynthesis [21], [22], [23]. could be due to the photo- adaptation and photo-Ascorbate is the most abundant soluble antioxidant protection of chlorophyll b and carotenoids. Thein chloroplasts. Interestingly in mammals, the eye reasons have been assigned earlier in theis amongst the tissues containing the highest discussion.ascorbate concentration [40] which suggests that In view of the above results, a mix of flyascorbate is particularly important in situations ash and diluted distillery effluent can be used aswhere cells contain pigments designed to absorb potential bio- fertilizer. It is well known that evenlight effectively. the Cobra poison can be therapeutic if it is used in a Given its abundance and the importance of proper way. As such, the technology of ferti-plants as dietary source of ascorbic acid for humans irrigation and a mix of fly ash is essential because(who are unable to synthesize it), it is very both the wastes are produced in huge quantity andsurprising that very little is known about the if they are mixed in a proper proportion that couldascorbate metabolism in plants. As such, the role of be used as a source of macro and micro nutrientsascorbate in photosynthesis and photo- protection and act as potential bio fertilizer for any crop. Withhas been studied in Calendula officinalis as a the growing concern for the degrading environmentfunction of diluted distillery effluent and a mix of due to excessive waste production, there can be no better alternative than to make a good use of the 198 | P a g e